A recent set of events has made me ponder the importance of integrity.

There are two definitions of integrity. The first is the moral kind, where you talk about a person’s integrity in light of how closely they adhere to the “rules” or values that we consider to be correct: fidelity, honesty, someone you can trust not to try to seduce your partner or embezzle money from you.

The other definition of integrity is wholeness – not missing any of its parts. For example, a glass screen with a small crack has a loss of integrity – and that little crack is almost certainly going to expand and head for the far edge of the glass. Even the smallest loss of integrity, by this definition, must be swiftly repaired, because it will cascade into greater and greater disarray over time.

Some days, it’s hard for me to discern what is a particular quirk of someone, and what is a breach of integrity that is an imminent crack in the windshield of life. I have seen many annoying, even mildly self-destructive traits in my team – such as missing the alarm clock several times in a month, or getting lost in small, urgent issues and missing deadlines on the big, important things.

Then there are obvious integrity breakdowns – calling in sick when you just want the day off. Clocking in if you are working remotely and going to run errands. Places where your real actions are clearly out of alignment with your word.

What I’m Reading: If you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a sucker for the Farnam Street folks. Here’s the Big Five Principles, according to their blog: https://fs.blog/principles/.

#1: Direction over Speed

#2: Live Deliberately

#3: Thoughtful Opinions Held Loosely

#4: Principles Outlive Tactics

#5: Own Your Actions

I would love to hear your thoughts on this short but very thought-provoking article.

Nick’s Real Estate Tip: How to get the best possible renters for your home!

First off, to get the best renter you need to market your home or property to the ENTIRE marketplace of potential renters currently looking to rent and those looking to switch where they live now. Next, qualifying your renters…this is just like a job interview. You have applicants that give you an application (resume), job history (employment history), references (rental history) and extra-curricular activities. As you can see rental applications don’t generally ask about extra-curricular activities like a job interview might. Wouldn’t you like to know what hobbies or what your renter likes to do for fun? I certainly would! Is it partying, listening to loud music or reading books? Big difference.

Quick Web Tip: In an increasingly competitive landscape, one of the most powerful tools at your disposal is acknowledging your competitors’ strengths to learn from them and grow.

What I’m Pondering:Proactive people do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. – Steven Covey